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“It’s why you’re so coveted in the werewolf world. There isn’t a single wolf out there who wouldn’t want an omega as their mate. Many even go out of their way to find an omega to mate with.
“As you might imagine, however, being so desired has the potential to put you in a lot of danger. You need protection. You shouldn’t be without a pack. That is why I want to take you back with me.”
He leaned forward, his tone turning sympathetic. “Let me make myself clear, little omega. I’m not trying to kidnap you or take you from your family. Anyone you want can come with you.
“Nor does this have to happen right now. I want to talk with your parents first. Like I said, I just want to offer you protection.
“As I’m sure you’ve noticed, it isn’t safe for an omega, especially one your age, to be on her own. It is my goal to never let anything like this happen to you again.”
He paused and took in a deep breath. “I’m not going to lie and say that there isn’t something in this for me too.
“I believe that the moon goddess put you in my path for a reason. There is a very good chance your mate is a part of my pack. And if that’s true, you would significantly strengthen my home.”
A clammy layer of sweat formed at the back of my neck as he spoke.
I hated everything he was suggesting. I didn’t want to join his “pack,” whatever the hell that meant.
I already belonged to a group of people. I belonged to my family. To my friends back home. To Ace.
“I already have a mate,” I said.
Although I had no way of being certain of this, calling Ace my mate felt right. So right that I suddenly felt the need to shout it from the rooftops.
Ace was my mate! Mine and only mine. And I was his. I would never belong to anyone else!
Waylen’s brow shot up. “You have a mate?” he whirled around to confirm this with Robert.
Robert stepped forward. “She doesn’t know what she’s talking about.”
“I’ve heard Ace call himself my mate,” I shot back.
I was risking my safety by taking a firm tone with Robert, but I needed Waylen to believe me.
“His eyes turn black too. And everyone calls him Alpha. I…I’m pretty sure he’s a werewolf like you. That’s what Robert told me at least.”
“Ace who?” Waylen frowned. “Are you talking about Ace Stoll?”
I nodded fervently. “Yes. Yes, Ace Stoll. Do you know him?”
“Of course I know him,” Waylen stated. “He’s the cousin of the new king of the supernatural and just took over as the alpha of one of the biggest packs in North America.”
He searched my face. “Are you telling me you’re Dorothy Kennicott?”
My eyes widened. “Y-you know who I am?”
“You’re mated to Ace Stoll. Everyone knows your story. You two found each other when you were six years old. It was a phenomenon. It still is.”
My jaw dropped. First, this stranger claimed my boyfriend was famous and, then, that I was also famous by association. I didn’t know how to feel.
“They’re not mated,” Robert interjected quickly, sounding slightly panicked.
“They’re mates!” Waylen barked. “Whether they’ve completed the mating process is irrelevant. Their bond is already established. It would kill her if I tried to set her up with someone else.”
He raised himself tall and faced Robert, suddenly appearing so much bigger than he had just moments before. Had he purposefully been making himself seem smaller so he wouldn’t scare me?
Waylen prowled toward Robert. “She doesn’t know anything. Her mate put an illegal lock on her mind years ago in an attempt to keep her safe from people like you.
“You’ve damned yourself by bringing her here. And you’ve damned me by assuming I would clean up your mess and take her off your hands. Ace will never let her go.”
Robert stumbled as Waylen got closer to him. “I thought you knew me better than this. I didn’t offer you this deal because I regretted bringing the girl here and wanted you to fix things for me.
“It matters not if she knows nothing of werewolves. I still have my leverage. I offered her to you because you know as well as I do that the Mortars are evil and must be dethroned. Remember our goal.”
“What the Mortars did to your daughter was awful,” Waylen said. “I will never stand behind creatures capable of such terror.” His tone seemed sincere—
sympathetic, even.
“But hurting this innocent girl in an act of vengeance is wrong. And I will take no part in it.”
With that, Waylen marched past Robert, making his way to the stairs.
“Where are you going?” Robert quickly followed after him.
Waylen stopped on the bottom step and looked over his shoulder. “I’m getting out of here before everything goes to hell. I advise you to do the same.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Robert demanded. “Are you going to tell Ace where we are?”
Waylen’s eyes made contact with mine. “Don’t have to. I’m sure he already knows.”
“Dorothy,” a voice said in a hushed tone. “Dorothy, wake up.” Someone gently jostled my shoulder.
It was a challenge to force my eyes open. My eyelids felt weighed down, swollen shut from so much exhaustion.
After all I’d been through, it would be easy to think I’d have fallen asleep at the first opportunity.
Well, it turns out that it’s hard to relax when you’re chained to the concrete ground, trapped in a house full of men who wouldn’t mind seeing you dead.
After Waylen left, despite my pleas for him to stay, and Robert and Elias followed him upstairs, I found myself alone in the basement for the first time since being kidnapped.
The father and son were both in a panic, trying to convince Waylen to stay, worried about what he would do or say after he left.
I even heard a few gunshots.
For a while after that, I heard little but the faint grumble of them arguing and shouting, although I couldn’t make out any of the words.
Waylen’s voice was the loudest. I could tell it hadn’t been easy for him to leave me. I saw the pain in his expression as he ascended the steps.
But before he went, he’d told me that everything would be okay and that Ace was coming for me.
I supposed he meant he was going to tell Ace where I was? I could only hope that was the case.
But then the voices upstairs faded and, for the longest time, silence.
I wasn’t sure if everyone had left or maybe gone to sleep, but it didn’t really matter.
I was just grateful for the time to recover and process.
I took the opportunity to explore the basement without anyone watching me and worked on getting the stupid chain off my ankle. It was no use, though. It was secure. And I was stuck.
That’s when I decided the best thing I could do was try to get some rest.
Until someone woke me up.
“Dorothy!” the person whispered with more force, jerking my shoulder.
When I finally peeled my eyes open, I was surprised to find my birth father crouched in front of me.
Relief rushed through me. I honestly thought he had given up and left me here. Or that maybe Robert had done something to him.